A/N: This is it! The final chapter. Dun Dun Dun. This may turn out real cheesy lol. Just thought I warn yah. Enjoy this one, folks...

Chapter 14

"A Chance Of A Lifetime"

The B-squad cadets were to report to Commander Cruger first thing in the morning the following day. Once the sun appeared from the distant horizons and rays of light sink through the windows of SPD, B-squad immediately got out of bed--already dressed in their uniforms. They ran hurriedly along outside SPD Headquarters where they met up with Commander Cruger and Dr. Manx on the training field.

"Morning, rangers." Kat was the first to greet them as they stood side by side on a straight line, facing her with their hands clasped behind. "Today's training will be... slightly different." Jack, Syd, Bridge, Sky, and Z all exchange bewildered looks unaware of what to expect. "It's time to demonstrate your weakneses and strengths by harnessing your fighting abilities against each other, which I know you've all done before." Dr. Manx stops and studies each and every one of them carefully.

"Syd."

The blonde nodded her head. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Do you think you can beat Z?"

Syd furrowed her eyebrows. "Uh...Is this supposed to be a trick question?"

"Do you think you can hold your own against Z and win in a fight?"

Z turns her head, waiting for her answer like the rest of them. Syd had to stop and think about it for a brief moment. "Yeah." She finally replied. Z rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"Z." Dr. Manx snaps as she shifts her gaze over to Cadet Delgado.

"Kat?"

"You disagree with her?"

She bit her lip. "Syd is a great fighter and all. At times I feel that we're equal in our fighting abilities, but not once did she ever defeated me one on one."

Dr. Manx nodded her head. "I see."

"Kat." Jack suddenly interrupted. "No offense but what does this have to do with training?"

She turns to him with a smirk. "You'll find out soon enough if you answer me this one question."

He folded his arms across his chest. "Shoot."

"Do you think you can defeat Syd?"

Jack paused to think about what she just asked before exchanging looks with the guys and bursting out in hysteric laughter. "Kat, she's a girl."

Syd's mouth fell open as Z placed her hands on her hips. Sky snickered silently among himself. "So what? I'm a girl too and I can still kick your butt, Jack." She retorted offensively. Jack shot Z a dirty look.

"What about you Bridge?"

"I don't know." He answered uncertainly. "Syd and I always work together."

"Hmmm...maybe that's why you can't defeat Z, Syd." Dr. Manx remarks. "You depend on others to help in two on one situations. Yes, it's nice to get help but what if none of us is there to help you?" She trails off and looks at the other female of the group. "Z, Syd may be some competition for you but you have proven to be the strongest female in the group." Z smiles proudly in triumph as Syd roll her eyes. "The problem is, you haven't faced your toughest competition yet." Kat walks in front of Jack. "You're a good fighter and leader, Jack but you need to learn that you're not a one-man army." He nods his head. "So, rangers. Today's training will consist of Jack and Bridge teaming up to take on Syd. Z, you'll be taking on Sky."

"What!" Cadet Tate spluttered out in disbelief, followed by a chuckle. Everyone all looked at him, especially Z who was beaming coldly at him like a predator waiting for her meal.

"Is something wrong?" Kat Manx asks.

"Well...do you think that's actually fair?" Sky smirked.

"Yeah." Jack agreed with him. "I mean come on, two on one?" Kat Manx turns over to Bridge, waiting for him to speak and defend the guys on the argument.

"Don't look at me. I know what those girls are capable of doing."

"Do you guys ever stop to think that maybe we're just as good as you?" Z questioned with her gaze still fixated on Sky. He stared at her from the corner of his eyes and listened. "This is the problem with you egocentric freaks! You underestimate our fighting abilities when I know for a fact we can beat you guys."

"Yeah!" Was the only thing that came from Syd's mouth.

Z shot her a look and continued. "As I was saying, I think the only reason why you laugh at this challenge is because you're too chicken to do so."

"Oh man. Stop." Jack looked away and chuckled. "You're not serious are you? And for your FYI, we're not too chicken to fight you."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you're just afraid you'll get beat by a woman." Z responded directly at Sky as he narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you say huh?"

He cringed his nose and moistened his lips. "You're not turning this training thing into something personal are you?"

"Why does it have to be personal?" She questioned.

"Well, so you mean to tell me your motivation in taking me on doesn't have to do with what happened yesterday?"

"No."

He nods his head. "Right." His tone indicated that he didn't believe her.

There was a moment of awkward silence as everyone's attention were directly on Sky and Z.

"I can't believe you would say that!" Z blurted out.

"Ha! I knew it!" He pointed a finger at her. "Just so you know, It was a joke! I didn't mean it!" Cadet Tate exclaims.

"Everything is a joke to you!"

Sky rubs his eyes in frustration. "Z, I'm sorry. How many times do I have to say it?"

As the two continue on bickering and arguing over the situation, the others watched nearby smiling as though they planned it all along. Jack leaned over and whispered to Syd, "Is it supposed to start off like this?"

"Yes. When two people, who obviously like each other, argue...eventually the things they bottle up inside comes out." She explains. "You'll see."

"Why are you doing this?" Bridge asks. "I mean...why put so much effort?"

Syd pursed her lips and smile. "Z and I made up last night. After what she told me, I think Sky just needs to open up and this is a good opportunity for him to do so." Bridge just shrugged his shoulders and sigh. "Just watch."

"Oh no." Commander Cruger spoke with a deep groan. "We've done enough." He looks at Kat. "I can't believe I made you put me up to this." He whispers as she looked away with a smirk. "It's up to them now to patch things up on their own."

"But--"

"Come on, Cadets." He made a hand gesture towards the building. "Let's not spoil the moment." The three whined in complaint as they followed Doggie and Kat from behind.

"Hey, Jack."

Cadet Landors turns his gaze over to the blonde as they walk side by side towards SPD Headquarters. "Yeah, Syd?"

"You think I can't kick your butt?" She asks.

Jack thought about it and chuckled. "Why? Do you have intentions in hurting a good looking guy like me?"

Syd looks up to think. "Maybe. I just want to make sure you don't think I'm some helpless, blonde girl because I can defend myself, Jack."

He nods his head in agreement and smiles. "I know ,and you're great at it." Jack replied in response as she looked down with a pleased smile. "So...do you like me or something?" He asks openly with a mischievous smirk.

Syd opened her mouth in shock. "What!"

"I mean...there's a reason why you're trying to stir up some argument between us right? Just so we can unleashed the hidden feelings we have for each other."

She scoffs. "How would you even know I like you?"

"Z told me."

Syd looks away in embarrassment, trying to avoid Jack's cute little grin. "I can't believe she told you that." Syd blushes. "I'm so gonna kill her."

"Well, I'm glad she told me." He pauses as he searches her bright blue eyes carefully, hypnotized by her beauty. "Because I like you too." A smile appeared on her face as her cheeks turned to a lighter shade of red. "Sydney Drew." Jack calls out to her as she looks up to meet his gaze. "Will you go out with me tonight?"

Syd could only smile as she took his open hand in hers. "I thought you'd never asked."

As Jack, Syd, Kat, and Cruger entered the building, Bridge fell behind as he stopped and look over his shoulder.

Unaware that the others have left the training field, Sky and Z drifted to their own world still fixated on the argument. Once the yelling and bickering subsided, they stood facing and avoiding each other in uncomfortable silence.

"This is going nowhere."

Z folded her arms. "Yah think?"

"For the past five minutes, all I've been doing was telling you how sorry I am but you just can't seem to get off the subject." Z didn't say anything as she looked away, making it seem like she was ignoring him. Sky deeply sighs. "I was scared okay?" She furrowed her eyebrows and gazed up, knowing he had more to say. "My father always tells me that whenever I fear something, I should depend on jokes to keep me safe from those fears. And when you told me how you felt..." He trailed off and smiled, remembering the exact moment, "I was ecstatic because I felt the same way." Z made a weak smile. "Then it hit me." She listened to his words carefully.

"We're both outspoken and stubborn individuals. With our similar personalities...we would clash and it just wouldn't work." Z suddenly felt uneasy due to his change of tone which got her worrying about the outcome of their conversation. "I was scared that you'd turn me away, Z and I can't lie to you. Syd and I had a history together. She was my first love and I never thought I'd fall for someone else." Sky paused. "Until you came along." She looked closely at him."I don't know what it is, but for the past few weeks...I've gotten to know the real Z and I became interested to the point where I wanted you more than anything. And that scares the heck out of me because being a ranger is all I wanted in life." Sky averted from her gazeto take adeep breath. "What I'm trying to say is..." He pauses. "As much as I want this, we can never be together. Not ever." Z's lips parted as she felt her heart shatter into pieces.

"I did alot of thinking last night and it made me realize that being together may hurt the people we care about more than anything and I don't want that for us."

"Since when do you care about what people think?" She questioned as she revealed to him the hurt in her watery eyes. "You're telling me you want me and now you're saying we can never be together." She sobbed. "I'm so confused here, Sky!"

"I'm scared that I'll make another mistake and turn you away, Z!" He confessed as tears came streaming down his cheeks. "I'm scared that I'll fall deeply in love with you and in the end, I'm not the one you want. I'm scared that I won't be able to make you happy and give you the things you want."

"I'm scared too, Sky! But you can't live your life hiding from your fears. How can we know what would've happen between us if we don't try and see for ourselves?"

"I don't want to, Z." He nodded his head. "I don't want to go down that road because then thinking that way would lead to regrets."

She rolled her eyes and attempted a fake laugh. "You know what I think? I think you're scared because you're still in love with Syd."

He wrinkled his forehead. "What?"

"It make sense doesn't it? I mean...you're scared to hurt her right? Scared that maybe you still have feelings for her?"

"Syd and I are completely over, Z." He declared sharply.

"Oh really? Then why mention she was your first love? Why mention you have a history together? Why say all this to me?"

"Because I thought maybe you would understand where I'm coming from." He explains.

She continues to challenge him. "Then why go after me if all you're gonna do is break my heart?"

He lowered his head and heaved another sigh. Sky then parted his lips to speak as though he struggled to get the word out. "Because..." He stammered nervously. "I don't want to lose you."

Z took a deep breath, searching and trying to get through him. "You'll never lose me." She places her hands on his face. "Not ever."

He stares deep into her sincere eyes. "You promise?" Sky felt his lips trembled out of nervousness.

Z caressed his face and smiled at him. "Let's just say," She trailed off and moved even closer to where she could feel him breathing on her face, "that there's nothing to be afraid of." He opened his eyes to look at her. "If you want something so badly, Sky and you get a chance at it...you shouldn't take it for granted even if they are your greatest fears. Who knows? That chance may be your only chance."

Eerie silence filled the air. "You want me that bad huh?" Sky stated jokingly to ease up the serious moment.

Z stepped back and rolled her eyes, bemused by him. "I just don't want you to live your life in regret that's all."

"Talking some sense into me huh?"

"Oh yeah."

"You know, this would have to be the most dramatic conversations I ever had in my entire life." Z chuckled in response. "I'm serious! I feel like we're in some soap opera or something."

"Well, it's been crazy."

Sky nodded his head. "Yeah..."

"So how should we end it?" Z asked.

He grins due to her anticipation. "Are you suggesting a kiss?" She scoffs in response as she smacks him lightly on the shoulder. "Because awhile ago, it seemed like you were gonna kiss me."

"I was only trying to get you to listen."

"Uh huh." Sky smirks.

They fell silent.

"So. Ummm..." Z brushes her hair back, smiling awkwardly. "We umm...should head inside now."

He nodded his head and looked around him. Sky wrinkled his forehead once he noticed the others have disappeared. "Yeah."

She bit her lip. "Sky, we don't have to rush into things, yah know. We can always take it slow."

He faces her. "So you're saying we shouldn't kiss?"

"Well...I'm not saying we shouldn't." She smiled at the thought. "I'm just saying we should take one step at a time."

Sky bobbed his head. "Right. One step at a time." He repeated under his breath as he found himself locking eyes with Z once again. Sky was lost in his smile as he studied her face carefully, trying to explore her thoughts. As they experience another one of their awkward, and cold silences Sky began to near his face towards Z as she presses her lips together and follow his lead. Once their lips were only inches away from touching, Z opened her eyes and quickly reacted as she jerked her head back.

"I'm sorry, guys."

Z looks right past Sky, irritated as she tries not to show it. "Yes, Bridge?" She hastened to ask after being interrupted.

Cadet Tate looks over his shoulder, puzzled.

"Umm..." Bridge scratches the back of his neck uneasily, feeling idiotic at the moment. "It's time for breakfast."

Z raised a curious brow. "You came all the way here just to tell us that?"

"Uh huh."

Sky exchange looks with Z. "Thanks for letting us know, Bridge." He stated awkwardly as the two headed back inside the building. Bridge froze at the spot and watches on as Sky and Z lock arms with her head resting on his shoulder while they walk side by side towards the entrance of SPD. Mixed thoughts came rushing through his head, feeling rather lost at the moment. The scene of them together became a disturbance as Bridge looked away and let out a deep sigh.

"If only you knew, Z." He whispered. "If only you knew..."

THE END

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that! Possible sequel by the way. It would really depend on you, the reviewers, to make that happen so let me know if you want a sequel. Don't forget to leave a review on your way out. Thanks for reading!